Monthly Archives: October 2023

“31 Day Author Platform Challenge” Prep

Posted in 31 day author platform challenge, Writer's Platform by

Getting ready

Well hi! Looks like you heard about the 31 Day Author Platform Challenge, and decided to go for it. We start tomorrow (November 1st)!

First off, welcome! I’m impressed and proud of you. Second, to be sure you start out on the right foot, let’s take a few minutes to prepare.

Prep for the 31 Day Author Platform Challenge:

Grab a fresh new notebook. Create an ongoing “31-Day Author Platform Challenge To Do List.” You can also create an e-version via a new Word Doc, or new To Do list on your phone (the Notes or Keep apps work well). I like having a physical book I can see and touch, and writing down the to-dos by hands helps my brain remember better. But you do you. The point is you’ll want ONE separate and central place to keep track of all your thoughts, notes, and To Dos this month–of which there may be many!

Got a book ready? Label your official “31 Day Author Platform Challenge To Do List” now. Keep it within reach of wherever you spend most of your online time. Any daily task you don’t need to tackle because you’ve already done it (you superstar you), you can come back to this list and pick something to work on. Any day you complete in a flash or any time you have a few extra minutes, come back to this list.

Note on Author Branding

I’ve made an assumption that you not only KNOW what an author brand is, but that you HAVE or are WORKING ON one. I’m not defining or going into detail on what an author brand means here because that’s a whole different can o’ worms. But to recap:

  • When I talk about your personal brand, I am referring to how you present yourself to and are seen by the public, the impression you make on readers, agents, editors, fellow writers/artists, and anyone else paying attention. Scribe Media describes it this way: “Book positioning tells someone why your book is the right book for them. Author branding tells someone why they should read your book, as opposed to anyone else’s.” I’d add to it by saying it tells people why to follow you vs someone else.
  • I trust you have already thought about how you are presenting your unique qualities. I trust you’ve figured out what “brands” you as a person, as a writer, or artist. (To not confuse your brand with your image, scroll halfway down this blog post: https://bitsykemper.com/2016/03/10/creating-an-author-platform/.)
  • If you DON’T have an author brand, or haven’t given it a thought, now is the time! Everything we do in the platform challenge will be supporting it. But if yours isn’t defined yet, don’t panic and bail. What we’re doing in these 31 days can help you figure out and hone your brand. You’ll be better prepared when you’re ready to define it when we’re done.
  • For help on creating an author brand, find great posts by Rocket Expansion, NY Book Editors, and PW here, here, and here.

Recap:

Get a new, dedicated notebook to capture a Platform Challenge To Do list. Refer to the To Do List and complete any item on list when you have an easy day or free time. Check out the links above if you need a refresher on what “author brand” means. Don’t use the lack of a solid author brand as an excuse to bail on the challenge (nice try, though).

I’m excited to have you on board. I hope you root for the rest of us as we will be rooting for you! Drop your social media handles here in the comments so we can follow each other.

And please subscribe to this blog (up top, right column on desktop, below on your phone) to be sure you get each challenge sent to you.

Let’s get platforming! 🙂

Join the 31-Day Author Platform** Challenge!

Posted in 31 day author platform challenge by
"31 Day Author Platform Challenge" logo
I’m making an effort to up my social media presence.
Who wants to join me?

I am going to spend the month of November doing one thing every day that will ripple across my social media outlets, to engage (if not educate and entertain) and grow my followers. Since many writers are introverts, I know marketing and promoting ourselves doesn’t come easily. Being asked to “up our social media presence” can feel like a trip to the dentist.

I researched the heck out of what to do, when to do it, how to get it done, etc. I found that while it’s easy to put off or “get to later,” it’s really not that hard. It’s just tedious. We need to find time to make it happen. Sure, there are a million paths to success. It’s daunting. It can be easier to do nothing (I’ll speak for myself). That’s why I created this “31 Day Author Platform Challenge.” I figured if I went through all that trouble narrowing down what roads I want to take, that there are probably LOTS of other writers that wouldn’t mind looking at the same map. So I figured why not share these ideas, and we can challenge each other along the way?

sitting woman using smartphone with hearts and smartphone icons
Photo by Dalila Dalprat on Pexels.com

I first challenged writers in May 2023, and the feedback was amazing. Writers (and illustrators) rocked it! I personally upped my following by well over 1,000 on one platform alone. Yet I still have miles to go before I’m where I’d really like to be. So I’m doing it again, and hope to do it every few months.

Come along, won’t you?

I mean, what author wouldn’t like to have more followers? I admit I have the incentive of a new book coming out for Mother’s Day 2024 (currently titled Mommy & Me Micro-Moments: A Fun 5-Minute a Day Devotional Journal, thanks for asking, lol). But building a list for potential book buyers is not the only reason I’m doing it. Being a writer can leave us in isolation, and I’m always looking to (re)connect with people. This is a great way to do so.

If you’re new to creating an author platform, honestly, the best time to start building your platform was years ago. But the next best time is now.

And there’s never a better time than NOW to grow your platform, not matter what stage you’re in.

The Plan

For this challenge, I’ll have a short blog detailing each task, each day. The tasks differ widely. Some are creating lists of ideas, such as brainstorming free giveways you might offer. Creating them, the implementation of the idea, is a different day. Some are creating specific posts that’ll take 5 short minutes to do, such as tagging and thanking three writer friends that have helped you in some way. Others might take more work, but will still be manageable, pretty much never more than 15 minutes. If it takes you more than 15 minutes, take a break and come back. No one has all day for this stuff—or we’d already have done it.

Small, daily steps are what we’re looking at here. The challenge is broken down into 31 doable tasks that should all add up to making a decent difference. Sorta like eating an elephant one bite at a time. It’s a CHALLENGE to push us past our comfort zone. Science proves it helps to have others cheer us on along the way, which is why I’m looking for company.

So, fellow author friends, whadday say?

Will you join in? Leave a message or subscribe (top right on desktop and possible down below on your phone) to commit! (Experts also say you’re more willing to follow through on a commitment or challenge if you tell someone else about it. Saying your goal out loud, or posting it publicly, makes us feel more accountable. Do it. Do it.) You’ll get a notice everytime I update my website, which means each day that I post the daily challenge.

**Author Platform briefly defined:

For those unfamiliar with the term “author platform,” I can best describe it in a visual. Picture a group of people. Let’s say they are all authors. One person stands on a raised surface—it could be basically anything for better visibility; let’s say it’s a milk crate. That person is now a little taller than all the other authors around them. They stand out. You can spot them in a crowd. They are an author, on a platform.

You want to be the author that sticks out, that is noticeable in a crowd. You need a platform.

In modern terms that means having a strong social media presence. It could be a solid group of Facebook followers (10K is minimum to be impressive these days)(yikes, right?), Instagram, Twitter, or any of the new ones popping up like Threads, Discord, Clubhouse…the list goes on and on. It could also include people who subscribe to your newsletter or follow your website. These aren’t people that you blatantly scream BUY MY BOOK to, mind you, they are your friends, your support, your cheerleaders.

If your friends been ignored for too long, they’ll move on to someone else. I don’t want to lose friends! In fact, I want to make more. Lots more. Don’t you? [Yes, if you are an author, you do!)

So I ask again…who wants to join?!

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

The 31 Day Author Platform Challenge posts will be posted once a day. To see the current day and all prior days in one fell swoop, go here:

www.BitsyKemper.com/challenge

Oh, and feel free to follow my new author page facebook.com/BitsyKemperAuthor! (Heads up: an author page may or may not be one of the challenges…)

How to Nail the Modern Writers Conference

Posted in Writing Children's Books, Writing events by

New Ideas for Creating Your Own Success

Photo of Keynote Speaker #BretLott at West Coast Christian Writers Conference 2023
WCCW2023 Conference in Roseville, CA

I’ve been to hundreds of writer conferences. OK, maybe dozens. No, wait, lemme, think…seeing as I attend several a year and started in 2003…*does the math*… honestly it totals over 50.

That’s a LOT of writer conferences. And I just got back from another one yesterday.

This one was a little different than the others. I noticed it was more modern. More tech-savvy. And much more up to ME to make things happen.

Don’t get me wrong, they were GREAT making sure first-timers and old-timers (wait–I mean experienced conference goers!) were well taken care of. But as technology places so much at our fingertips, it means so much of it is, well, at our fingertips. As in, it’s up to us to go find and get it. That’s not how it used to be. We used to show up and be handed a folder with everything we ever needed to know, from speaker bios to local restaurant menus. Now we’re basically handed a badge and left to wander like a kindergartener dropped off on their first day.

I’ve participated in events in every way from keynote to emcee to volunteer that helps clean up, and even organized and held them for several hundred people. I’ve written blogs on how to prepare for them and what to expect, including how to dress, and what to pack. (I admit it, I love conferences!) I thrill in meeting people, learning, and getting the latest scoop on the industry from the people who know it best.

In my prior corporate life, I probably attended another 50 events. I’ve seen that no matter the topic, location, or industry, conferences are generally the same.

But times have changed recently.

In early 2020 we were suddenly forced to halt in-person events. When they started again, new technology replaced some of our standard ways of doing things, without us realizing it. It wasn’t like we voted on it. Time just marched on.

WCCW Conference with real live people, Oct 2023

Noted Changes:

  • Budget cuts are everywhere.
    • Many handouts are now available online only. That means you have to print them out and bring ’em with you, so plan ahead. (It also means you definitely need to plan out your schedule in advance so you have the right handouts. Or, bring your laptop to call them up during the session. Have them downloaded so you don’t have to rely on shoddy wi-fi.)
    • Similarly, don’t assume you’ll be handed a printed schedule of the event. They may only offer an online version, so look into it and print one out ahead of time as needed.
    • In fact, bring a folder as it’s not safe to assume you’ll be getting one of them, either!
  • Use technology to your advantage in other ways.
    • Have a critique or 1:1 you don’t want to be late for? Set a silent alarm on your phone and you won’t have to keep checking your watch/phone.
    • Unless you learn better by handwriting notes, save time by snapping pix of the presenter’s slides instead of writing down what they say. See if your phone software will translate it straight to text.
    • Check to see what’s being video’ed. Many conferences are “hybrid” meaning they are both online and in person. If you want to attend two sessions at the same time, go to the one that isn’t being recorded. Watch the other one that night or when you get home.
  • Make the Freebie table work for YOU. Plan to pack and drop off your bookmarks/flyers promoting your book/website/critique services/etc. (Make sure it looks appealing and is professionally edited or you’ll be doing yourself a grand disservice.)
  • Social media: You gotta be present, man.
    • No need to livestream by any means. But pick your fave social media outlet and talk about the event before you go, using the hashtag the event coordinators will share.
    • Follow the hashtag to interact with people before you go, so you have a leg up on in-person interactions. Virtually meet new people ahead of time so you have built-in conference buddies.
    • Post with the hashtag (including quotes and photos) after the event as you bask in the glow of what you learned and accomplished.
    • Don’t forget to offer thanks to the organizers too.
    • If you can’t afford books at the conference bookstore, it’s OK! In lieu of that, do your fave speaker/presenter a solid by reserving their book at your library, giving it and the author/illustrator a shout-out on social media, and if you want to go the extra mile, give their book a review at Goodreads or Amazon (ONLY IF YOU’VE READ IT!). Word of mouth means a LOT to authors and illustrators!
  • Speaking of books…many conferences have onsite or pop-up bookstores that now let ANY attendee sell a book, not just faculty. Ask!

Same as Before:

  • Bringing business cards: people still use them! BUT, bring REDESIGNED cards with NEW types of info. Have them ordered and ready well ahead of time.
    • Don’t include your home address on your card, no one needs that.
    • Phone number is optional and IMHO unnecessary since they can email you for it. (No offense, but why would this stranger that you just befriended need to call you? You can always write it.)
    • I recommend two-sided. Add book covers or endorsements on the back.
    • I have a QR Code that takes you right to my website; some have it go right to their newsletter sign-up or book order page.
    • Be sure to include your fave social media handles so people can find and follow you.
  • Planning ahead: Decide WHY you are attending, and stick to it. Are you there to learn? If so–to learn what? Are you there to meet like writers–if so for what purpose, is it to find a crit partner or to build your social media following? Are you there to get your critique–if so, add another purpose b/c that’s just one tiny part of your day(s) there.
  • Taking notes. You’re not going to remember stuff–not even the great things you swear you don’t need to write down. Especially names and book titles. Trust me.
  • Being friendly: I hate the word networking as (to me) it implies you’re trying to make a sale, so I think of it as being friendly. Smile even just a little and nod a hello to everyone you see. Introduce yourself to anyone next to you with a conference badge. Asking “what are you working on?” is the perfect way to start a conversation–people love to talk about themselves AND it establishes a common ground–they are free to ask you the same question!
  • Packing a light sweater (there’s always one sub-zero room).
  • Having your “elevator pitch” ready. When someone asks you what you’re working on, be ready with a concise yet spunky two-to-three-sentence summary. Not “a picture book about grandmas” but “a rhyming picture book about how a grandmother might not realize the lasting, loving impact she’s had on her family.” (See the difference? Which book do you want to hear more about?)

What other change have you seen? Let me know!

And happy conferencing, whether in person or online. People need people, so keep gathering.